British Invasion: The Barbour Legacy

If you've known me for the past 14 years or so, you know that my Barbour coat has been an absolute staple of my wardrobe. Other than in the summer months, I wear it pretty much anytime I need a coat. Purse? Who needs that when you've got two huge gusseted and riveted, drain holed pockets low and in front, one inside breast pocket and two hand warmer pockets? Function over form! Au currant and Barbour were never words I thought would be spoken in the same sentence, that is until Daniel Craig appeared in the latest Bond film - in a Barbour. Meow.

Since this is not a food post but one about clothing, dare I say style, Slave to Love by Bryan Ferry is today's British Invasion musical accompaniment. Mr. Ferry was a nattily dressed singer back in the 80s; he worked with Antony Price, a proto Rachel Zoe, for his clothing and image advice. So pop on over to YouTube and pop back. There's a terrific video waiting for you when you return - not one of mine, I swear!

There was once a store on East 13th Street called Upland Trading Company that was so ahead of its time, they were selling all the brands J.Crew is now working with for their In Good Company division. I knew I wanted a Barbour, in classic Sage. I just didn't know which style would look best. A woman came over to assist me and asked quite seriously, "Do you ride?" I thought, "The subway?" Nevertheless, I left the store with a Bedale jacket and a tin of Thornproof Dressing. 

Initially, I waxed my coat every other year but after a few years, the novelty wore off. Whenever I sent it in for waxing it would take months for it to come back, so if I didn't time it right, the coat wouldn't be back in time for the cold and rainy season. So... I skipped a few much needed waxings. Little by little, the jacket started to disintegrate. Finally, a couple of years ago, I took it in for reapair and the quote for all the necessary work was almost the price of a brand new coat! Was it worth it?

I had heard that one of the British Royals had had their coat repaired so many times that it was a patchwork of greens. Given the quote, I knew I really couldn't afford to get all the worn bits repaired, so I decided to get just the largest tears fixed. It took six months, but when I got it back, I was thrilled. It looked like a fantastic Frankenstein; the new patches (more like panels) were bright green, the old parts were dusty olive. Super cool!

Then, last Fall when hanging it up, the hanger ripped straight through the back, making it completely non-weather proof. After what I paid for the last round of repairs, I was really just about ready to give up and get a new coat. Fortunately, Mr. Mari sent me this video by Tin Man Films UK before I did anything rash:

One thing you should know about Mr. Mari is that he is a minimalist. Other than his love for clothes, he really only has Stuff because of me, a borderline hoarder. So when receiving this link from him, needless to say, I was surprised. He was telling me to keep it - not because it could be but because it should be repaired. Most of the clothes I wear these days I tend to think of as disposable. So affordable, why get it fixed? This fantastic short made me reconnect with the jacket I've loved for so long and now I'm saving up to get the other straggler bits (and the large hole on my shoulder) repaired. It's like my adult baby blanket. It's seen me through some really great highs and really great lows. How could I part with it? I can't.

(Upland Trading Company image via NY Magazine; A Jacket for Life by Tin Man Films UK via Unionmade.)